Saving Grace
by Cuinawen
Summary: Eighth in my 'The 12 Vamps of Christmas' series... After 2 years of running from Victoria Bella finds herself in LA being rescued by someone tall dark and brooding... One Shot.


_**Saving Grace  
(The 12 Vamps of Christmas Day 8)**_

A crazy challenge I set myself to produce 12 different Bella/vampire one shots or story snippets for the 12 days leading up to Christmas.

(Even more crazy when you know that I only decided to do this 6 days before I posted the first story!)

The general aim is that for 12 days leading up to Christmas I will be posting 12 different one shots/snippets, each with Bella and a different vamp (though I've stretched that just a little).

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_This was it_, Bella thought as Victoria backhanded her, sending her to the floor. After all the time she'd spent running, Victoria had at last caught up with her.

She'd always known she was on borrowed time anyway, when the person chasing you was a Cold One you could only last for so long. Though if she'd stayed in Forks she certainly would have had much less time.

The 'wolves' there had proven themselves utterly useless when it had come to Victoria, and she had enjoyed taunting them each time they'd failed to catch her.

Then just days after Bella's graduation she had gotten to Charlie.

It had been the final straw and as soon as she could, Bella had cashed out his pension and left. That was two years ago.

She doubted she would have lasted anywhere near that long relying on the La Push pups.

"You led me on a merry chase, Bella," Victoria cooed, circling her slowly, "I'm almost impressed."

"Damn right you are." Bella muttered, hand pressed against her throbbing cheek.

Despite logic telling her it was pointless to do so, she used her legs to scoot back on her bum away from Victoria. Victoria just laughed delightedly.

"Still trying to get away, even now… don't you know you can't? You get just as far as I _let you_. I_let_ you have the last couple of years, Bella, I _let_ you spend that time looking over your shoulder for me. It's been a wonderful game Bella, watching you run, always looking out for me… but I've grown tired of it now. Your time is up, Bella. Game over."

Bella couldn't hide her horror at the knowledge that she had been played this entire time, and not wanting Victoria taking pleasure in her pain to be the last thing she ever saw, Bella simply sighed and closed her eyes, waiting for the end.

Only it never came…

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to play with your food?" An unfamiliar male voice asked.

There was a flurry of movement and then a cool hand was touching Bella, making her flinch.

"Hey… hey, it's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you." The voice was warm and soothing, the hand on her shoulder gentle.

Bella opened her eyes and her breath caught. Deep brown eyes were the first thing she saw, followed by dark brown hair and a pale face that might have reminded her of Edward, if it wasn't just so much… _more_…

More manly, was one of the first thoughts that popped into her head and she fought down a somewhat hysterical laugh. Her rescuer was undeniably gorgeous.

"She's gone, Angel." Another male voice called out, making Bella jump. "She got away."

The man she could only assume was 'Angel' stood up from where he was crouching in front of her and faced the approaching man. "Okay, Wesley."

"Is the young lady okay?"

"The 'young lady' has her own voice." Bella huffed.

Angel chuckled and reached down and grasped Bella's arm to help her up to her feet, but his smile dropped a little as his fingers brushed over her wrist.

Keeping hold of her, he gently turned her wrist so the scar was facing upwards, illuminated by a nearby streetlight.

He hummed softly, looking at the bite mark in thought for a moment before looking up and meeting Bella's eyes.

"I think you'd be safer if you stayed with us."

Bella wasn't about to argue with that.

_"Angel Investigations, we help the helpless, um… hopeless… oh…"_

_Cordelia had trailed off as she recognised Bella from her vision, and noticed Angel was standing behind her._

_"Yeah, either of those would work." Bella had mumbled awkwardly._

_"Bella, this is Cordelia…"_

It had become a running joke that those had been their first words to each other, especially as against the odds they had quickly become good friends. Their shared wit and sarcasm balancing out the differences between them. Though Cordelia would often joke that Bella really was hopeless when it came to things like fashion.

Wesley she would often assist with research, enjoying finding out about new things, new monsters, and he'd been impressed with her knowledge of Cold Ones, with it amounting to far more information than the Watchers Council had on them.

Angel it was harder for her to spend time with. Cordelia teased her mercilessly for crushing on their boss and Bella couldn't deny it, no matter how much she tried to tell herself it was foolish and impossible.

For his part, Angel seemed a little wary of her at times. He was kind and nice, and anytime they were together he always made her smile or laugh, but they never seemed to be alone together, a fact Bella didn't know whether to be relieved or upset about.

The weeks passed, and there was no sign of Victoria, and all the while Bella slowly found her place with the team at Angel Investigations.

Then it had come to a head one night. Cordy had decided they needed to celebrate after they'd closed a particular difficult case, and surprisingly even Angel had agreed.

It had been the first time Bella had met Lorne, and if green and horny was her thing it would have been love at first sight. As it was he had linked arms companionably with her, chatting as if they'd been friends forever as he walked her to the bar.

"Oh honey," He'd said, beaming at her, "Am I glad to finally meet you."

Bella had blinked at him in confusion until he explained his talent for reading people as they sung and seeing futures.

"So you saw me in someone's future?" She questioned.

"Uh, uh, cupcake, not going to spoil that bright spot." Lorne winked at her then hurried away to speak to the person coming off the stage just as Angel, Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn caught up to her at the bar.

It was moments later as they all stood there with their drinks – Bella's one a Sea Breeze that Lorne insisted she just _had to try_ – that Lorne caught Angel's eye and pointedly waved him over.

"No, no." Angel groaned, shaking his head, but it only made Lorne glare and wave more frantically.

Not wanting to cause even more of a scene, Angel sighed and put his drink down on the bar, turning to walk towards Lorne as if he was walking to some gallows with his name on.

"He's not?" Bella giggled, nudging Cordelia.

"Oh, he is." She replied, equally amused.

Angel caught sight of the two women cackling together, as well as Gunn and Wesley smirking, and groaned again. Why had he ever thought coming here tonight was a good idea?

Ignoring the part of him that answered that Bella was the reason he'd come here, he stepped up to the mike and squared his shoulders, preparing himself to get the torture over with.

"_Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl. With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there_…"

Bella exchanged a look with Cordelia and that was it. Shoulders shaking, they both tried to hide their uproarious laughter behind their drinks.

By the time the song finished Bella's stomach hurt from laughing, but she still cheered obnoxiously along with Cordelia, earning them both a black look from Angel as he headed to speak to Lorne who looked deeply amused.

"I'm glad my humiliation is so funny." Angel groused half-heartedly.

"Hush Angel-cakes," Lorne stood up, smiling, "You wanted to be sure… and sure you are. Go get your girl."

His eyes flicked toward the bar, making sure Angel got the message loud and clear, and Angel nodded, the beginning of a smile appearing on his face.

Lorne stayed standing, leaning against the table with drink in hand as Angel re-joined his friends. Knowing what was coming didn't take away from the pleasure of seeing the normally reserved, and often broody vampire approach the girl he was falling for and take her hand, pulling her to her feet, murmuring softly to her as he lead her outside.

Bella stared up at Angel wide eyed as they stopped a short distance from the bar entrance, barely taking in a word he was saying. The way he was looking at her… well she'd barely dreamed he could look at her like that, and then he bent his head.

His lips touched hers and if Bella could have formed a coherent thought she would have sworn she saw stars. Her arm wound around his neck, her fingers threading through his hair and tugging lightly while both his hands gripped her hips, holding her close as they kissed.

It was soft, slow, and perfect.

"I knew it!" Cordelia burst out as they pulled away from each other, making Angel roll his eyes and Bella blush when they realised they had an audience of three.

Ignoring Cordelia's grin and Gunn and Wesley's amused looks, Angel dropped one last quick kiss on Bella's lips and then let her go, instead taking her hand as they all turned to head back to the hotel.

Whatever came now, Bella thought, it didn't matter. Whether it was Victoria, Wolfram and Hart, or even Edward showing up… they could deal with it together.

~*~ _fin_ ~*~

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_Unbeta'd so any mistakes are my own_

_Big thanks to Bertie Bott for the beautiful banner she rushed out for me for my WP site… she is the banner queen!_

_Extra special thanks to Mommy4Thomas who helped talk me through getting this one shot finished… the Angel smoochies were just for you lovey!_

_I have way too much fun writing Lorne_


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